Somewhere In Time
by Dark Wings Descending
Summary: There is no greatness without pain and sacrifice and that is exactly what Fate will teach Prince Arthur Pendragon.
1. Of Spoken Words

**Somewhere In Time**

Chapter I: Of Spoken Words.

Even though the peaceful green colour of the forest was always comforting on a normal day in a person's life, it turned into something extremely boring after six days of travelling with nothing but trees and bushes decorating the landscape. Fortunately, they hadn't suffered any attacks since the departure from Caerleon, so Elise knew she ought to be thankful for the safe journey. She travelled with her brother, King Branor, his servant, her maid and twenty-three guards and knights and they were still two days away from reaching Camelot. Apart from a few members of Branor's court and the royal family of Camelot, nobody knew their itinerary and destination for safety reasons. Nevertheless, danger often awaited its victims on the outskirts of the cities, so the group would be met by knights of Camelot near the White Mountains that night and escorted by them to their destination.

Elise did not want to go to Camelot and her brother wasn't happy about it either, but there was not much he could do; in this particular matter, his duty as king overpowered his love for his sister. She knew ruling a kingdom was also about making difficult decisions and she did not blame him for what was going to happen in Camelot after their arrival. Elise just wished she could erase the spoken words of the past.

_[Four months earlier]_

Arthur walked fast to reach his father's council room and Merlin had to run to keep up with him. Uther had summoned his son just a few minutes earlier; the only thing the guard had told him was that it was a matter of extreme urgency and it could not wait, so the prince was worried about what it could be. The only thing he could think of was the safety of Camelot: was it compromised? He found it hard to believe, since he already had some experience in reading the signs of an imminent attack.

"What do you think it is?", he heard Merlin suddenly ask, noticing worry in his voice as well.

"I don't know, Merlin", Arthur answered with little patience. Unlike what he would usually do, the prince's servant did not speak another word until they finally reached the council room.

"Wait here", were the only words Arthur said to Merlin before the guards opened the heavy double wooden door so the prince could enter the room. Seconds later, the young servant watched him disappear behind that door.

Uther was sitting on his chair at the head of the long empty table reading a small piece of paper in his hand and he was frowning, concentrated on the contents of the document. The sound of the door being open and closed pulled him away from his thoughts and he looked up to see his son standing a few feet away from him.

"You summoned me, sire", Arthur stated, waiting for his father to tell him what the reason of such urgency was and never forgetting he owed the king respect in matters of state.

"A messenger from Caerleon just arrived", Uther replied as he stood up and gave Arthur the letter. At first sight, the crown prince could see it was a short message and then read it carefully:

"_Your majesty, King Uther Pendragon from Camelot,_

_It is with great grief that I, Prince Branor, and my sister, Princess Elise, inform you that King Cador of Caerleon, our father, has succumbed to the illness that had been tormenting him since last Winter._

_Certain that our friends in Camelot share our grief in this dark hour,_

_Prince Branor"_

As he finished reading the letter, Arthur looked at his father and did not know what to say. It was a tragic event, the death of a friend of his father's and Camelot, and he knew it could ruin all the hard work Uther and Cador had done in the last twenty years.

"I will send Branor a message with our condolences right away", Uther stated. "But I have to make sure not all is lost".

"Maybe we should give Branor time to grieve before starting any negotiations", was Arthur's reply. Even though he felt it was cruel to speak of matters of state to a man who was mourning the recent loss of his father, he knew his part in strengthening the alliance of the two kingdoms was crucial, but he was not willing to play it.

"Of course he will have time, but I have to be sure he won't go back on his father's word. Branor is now a young king and his lack of experience can betray him. With Cador's death, Caerleon is a vulnerable kingdom and will need a strong ally like Camelot", the king said, apparently concentrated in his own thoughts. –You must marry Princess Elise as soon as possible.

Arthur had feared that moment would come for the last three years and now his father spoke the words that made it real.

"Father, I cannot marry the princess", he protested. "I don't even know her!"

"Please, Arthur, that is not important", Uther replied as if depreciating the fantasies of a small child. "An alliance through marriage is the best thing for Camelot".

"I will not do it", Arthur stated firmly, although he took no pleasure in defying his father. "I'm sorry, but that is something I cannot do, not even for Camelot..."

"Silence!", the father ordered angrily. "I will hear no more. My decision is final".

Arthur was powerless as the look in his father's eyes told him it was a fight he could not win. His only reply was a bow to his king before turning around and leaving the room. He barely saw Merlin standing by the door, waiting for him, as he walked out of the council room and turned to his left. Once again, his servant had to run after him.

"What happened?", Merlin asked, concerned.

"Please, Merlin, not now", the prince answered as he tried to remain calm, although his fast pace showed he was failing miserably. Finally entering his chamber, Arthur let out a scream of frustration.

"Well, it wasn't a good thing, that's for sure", Merlin remarked, knowing his master would eventually tell him what was happening.

"Can you believe my father wants me to marry someone I haven't even met?", Arthur asked rhetorically, making it sound absurd even though he knew it was usually how royal marriages came about.

"Oh, I thought it was something bad", the young servant stated, relieved, but soon regretted it as the prince looked at him in disbelief. "I'm sorry. It's bad. It's very bad", he corrected, trying not to laugh.

"This is serious, Merlin", Arthur said, walking nervously around the room.

"But did your father decide that out of nowhere?", was Merlin's curious question.

"No, it isn't out of nowhere", the crown prince answered, sighing in defeat. "Three years ago, my father and King Cador of Caerleon agreed that Princess Elise and I should be... united in matrimony to strengthen the bond between the two kingdoms. Now Cador has died, his son will be king and his daughter will probably become of age soon, so my father wants to hasten the wedding".

"I see... And it's not a good thing, I suppose?", Merlin asked.

"Have you been listening?", Arthur asked back impatiently. "I never met her! I don't even know what she looks like!"

"Ah, so that's what's troubling you", the servant stated with a smile, satisfied that he had figured everything out. "You're afraid she might be ugly".

"Among other things...", the prince admitted. "Get out of here, Merlin!", he then ordered. Once he found himself alone, Arthur started to think deeper about his father's decision.

The crown prince of Camelot had never thought about marriage. In fact, he considered himself too young to get married and, although he had known about Uther's plans for his future from the beginning, Arthur had hoped that day would never come. But now there was a need to consolidate the friendship with Caerleon and it depended on him and Princess Elise, a girl he had never seen. He could only wonder what her thoughts on their marriage would be.


	2. In Camelot

**Somewhere In Time**

Chapter II: In Camelot.

It was early in the morning and there were few people on the streets when King Branor and Princess Elise arrived in Camelot. Arthur hadn't slept the previous night as he was running out of time to think of ways to stop the wedding. Of course he did not know Elise's thoughts on the matter, but he had to assume she would submit herself to Branor and Uther's will. Otherwise, she wouldn't be making such a peaceful entrance in the citadel.

He was now standing next to his father at the bottom of the stairway that led to the castle's main entrance as he watched Camelot's guests approaching accompanied by his knights. Arthur was trying to remain calm, but his mind was only filled with worry and nervousness, for his fate was becoming sealed with each fading second.

After what seemed like an eternity, the prince saw them finally stop a few feet away from them and take their time to get off their horses. He immediately tried to spot Princess Elise and, when he did, he was disappointed to see the hood of her cloak was covering her head and shadowing her face. It was not a good sign, he thought. It was likely that beauty had not graced her features if she was hiding her face. Then, in his mind, he cursed Merlin for reading him so well.

Arthur watched as Branor exchanged words with his younger sister before they finally approached him and Uther. It was with great anxiety he waited as she slowly raised her delicate hands to grab the hood and pull it down a second later. The crown prince of Camelot had to suppress a sigh of relief at the sight of her.

Elise was not ugly. As he silently examined his newly arrived bride, he saw she had an oval face with soft features, brown eyes brought out by well groomed eyebrows, a small nose and full, rather pale lips. Her very white skin indicated that she probably didn't expose herself to sunlight often and her light brown, wavy hair cascaded down her shoulders, maybe to the middle of her back; it was shiny and beautiful, although Arthur preferred blonde women. She had an average height for a woman, reaching his shoulder, and from what her cloak allowed him to see, her figure was also average for a young woman.

The princess' first impression of the crown prince was positive, as she had been worried about the possibility of Arthur looking more like a troll than a prince. He was tall and well built, clearly trained to be a knight. The strong features of his face framed a pair of big blue eyes above a sharp nose and well shaped pink lips. His blond hair was cut somewhat short, allowing Elise to memorize Arthur's face well.

"Welcome to Camelot", Uther said with a smile, looking from Elise to Branor and shaking hands with the newly crowned king of Caerleon. "I trust you had a pleasant journey".

"It was pleasant, indeed, but also very tiring. We're happy to finally be in Camelot", was Branor's answer. Elise knew that, even though neither she nor her brother was comfortable about the wedding, Branor was satisfied to be in a friendly territory in a time of uncertainty for his kingdom.

"Of course. My son Arthur will be happy to accommodate you and Princess Elise", the king of Camelot stated, catching Arthur off guard. The prince silently looked at Merlin, who immediately offered to carry as much luggage as he could. As Uther retreated to attend his duties, Arthur then proceeded to lead the royal guests inside the castle and to their chambers.

Being a man, Branor was easy to accommodate, asking for no more luxuries than those already present in his chambers. After leaving the king of Caerleon, Arthur took Elise and Luned, her maid, to the chambers the princess would be staying in until the wedding. There was an uncomfortable silence as they walked down the corridor and the prince almost wished Merlin would say something stupid just to end it. Elise was a stranger he was about to marry and there was nothing he could think of to ease the tension of such an important step in their lives.

Finally reaching the designated chambers, Arthur opened the door so Elise could enter the room first. The princess looked around, admiring every detail of the room. Only when she heard his clear his throat behind her to get her attention she looked at him again, waiting for him to speak.

"I hope everything is according to your taste", he stated with his hands behind his back.

"Everything is fine, thank you", Elise replied, speaking for the first time in the presence of the crown prince. Then, she looked away again to pay attention to her surroundings, as if dismissing him.

"If there is anything else you need, Merlin will be at your service", Arthur insisted and the only reply he heard was a mumbled thanks from her. He felt slightly offended, for he was not used to make an effort to get a girl's attention. "There will be a tournament tomorrow, before the announcement of... our wedding", he continued and Elise looked at him briefly, smiling politely before turning her attention to the view outside the window. Arthur looked at Merlin, who smiled and showed him a thumb up, encouraging him to continue. "Many of our knights and I will be competing. It's very hard and dangerous, but I think I'll manage. I've won the last four tournaments after all", he continued, feeling confident, knowing acts of bravery always impressed girls.

"Oh...", Elise said, rather surprised, as she looked at him again. "And do you brag about it to all your guests or only the ones you betrothed to?", she said, raising an eyebrow. Even though Arthur Pendragon was very attractive, he also talked too much and was clearly very conceited. The prince looked like he had been slapped across the face and took a minute to speak again.

"Like I said before, Merlin will be at your service if you need anything", he said and didn't wait for answer as he left the room right after. Merlin, his servant, bowed to the princess and followed Arthur, closing the door behind him.

"I think the prince was upset, my lady", Luned stated timidly, as she opened one of the princess' chests.

"Well, he wouldn't stop talking and he's so full of himself", Elise replied in her defence. "You could hear it in every word of the many he spoke".

"Maybe... But, if you allow me, my lady, he is very handsome", the maid said with a smile and Elise turned around to look at her.

"Luned! I may not like him, but he is still the man I am to marry", she reproached as she sat down at the dressing table. "Besides, you will get married soon too".

"I know, my lady", Luned apologized as she picked up a hairbrush and started brushing Elise's hair, but never stopped smiling.

"He is handsome", she finally admitted, sighing. "But that is not enough to make me want to marry him", she finished, looking at Luned's reflection in the mirror and erasing the smile from the maid's lips. From everything she could think of, Elise chose this as the worst time to be a princess.

* * *

><p>Arthur opened the door of his chambers rather aggressively, angry that a girl had treated him with such indifference and insulted him. As always, Merlin came in right behind him and closed the door so nobody could hear the outburst that would follow.<p>

"Can you believe the nerve?", Arthur asked, still offended and clearly not expecting Merlin's answer.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I found her very pleasant", the young servant answered, making fun of the prince.

"I can't believe my father wants me to marry that... that...", Uther's son wanted to find an adjective suitable for Elise which could express his indignation, but he couldn't think of any that wasn't simply outrageous for a princess.

"... princess who has never met you before and still has to marry you?", Merlin continued and Arthur realized he was trying to make him see Elise didn't want the wedding to happen more than he did.

"You're right", the heir to the throne of Camelot said, calming down. "But she was rude. I mean, I was trying to be nice to her".

"Well, sometimes your sense of kindness is different from other people's", was Merlin's remark, which surprised the prince.

"What do you mean?", Arthur asked, shocked.

"You were doing well until you started talking about the tournaments you had won and everything", the servant answered, unsure.

"But girls usually like men who are winners and... brave!", Arthur stated loudly, throwing his arms in the air.

"Well, I don't know much about girls...", Merlin admitted timidly.

"I don't know why I'm having this conversation with you", the prince replied, suddenly tired. "Fetch me my armour. I have yet _another_ tournament to win", he finished with a confident smile. Elise would regret the day she had humiliated him after his performance in the tournament the next day.

* * *

><p>Princess Elise spent most of the day resting as she hadn't been able to do it properly during the journey from Caerleon and she knew her brother Branor had spent the same amount of time in private negotiations with Uther, so she had no chance to see him until later in the evening.<p>

The royal family of Caerleon had been invited to join King Uther Pendragon and his son Arthur for dinner and, although Elise did not wish to make an effort, the princess and Branor accepted the invitation. Just minutes before the hour at which they were expected at the dining hall, she heard a knock on the door of her guest chambers and, having already dismissed Luned for the night, answered to see Branor standing in the corridor, waiting to escort her to dinner like he had always done.

"I wasn't sure you would come", she stated with a peaceful smile.

"You're my sister", he replied, taking her hands in his as if to comfort her. "Nothing will ever change that".

Branor offered his arm for Elise to take and, as they walked down the corridor, Elise secretly thought about how she was close to losing the only family she had left. Her brother and she had always had their differences, but they had also always been each other's best friend. He didn't notice it, but she looked at him and couldn't help but to see the young King Cador she only knew in paintings: a tall, well built man with a very dark, almost black hair with waves similar to her own. His eyes were of a deep green colour and he had full lips surrounded by a dark beard. Elise, on the other hand, resembled their mother, Argante.

They finally entered the dining hall, where Uther and Arthur were already waiting for them. The Pendragons stood up from their seats and sat down again with their guests. The king of Camelot sat at the head of the table with the prince sitting at his right side, while Branor sat at his left with his sister next to him.

"I'm glad you could join us for dinner", Uther stated, looking at Elise.

"I'm honoured to be sitting at your table, sire", the princess replied with a timid smile. Arthur still felt offended and had no problem in letting her know it through his expression; he was sure the kings knew nothing about the episode. Unfortunately for him, Elise didn't seem to notice him at all.

"I hope you can also join us for the tournament tomorrow", Arthur's father continued, taking a sip of wine from his cup.

"Of course", Elise answered in her delicate voice, looking at her brother and then at Uther again. "It has been a while since we've had that kind of entertainment in Caerleon".

Even though she did not look at him, the crown prince of Camelot did look at her as he heard those words and, once again, reminded himself Princess Elise was a pawn in the political game, just like he was, but she was also a grieving daughter. She had lost her mother when she was only a child and, now, her father had also passed away. Branor was the only family Elise had left and she would be separated from him in a matter of days. Now that he thought about it, Arthur could not imagine how he would feel if he was ever forced to leave Camelot and his father forever.


	3. A Long Day

**Somewhere In Time**

Chapter III: A Long Day.

Elise had been able to sleep well the previous night and was already awake when Luned arrived to help the princess get dressed. The maid was carrying a tray with Elise's breakfast when she entered the room and found the daughter of Cador standing by the window, still in her white nightgown, apparently very interested in what was happening outside in the square.

"Good morning, my lady", Luned greeted happily, placing the tray on the table.

"Good morning", Elise replied, not turning around to look at the other girl. "I can't even remember the last time people felt this happy in Caerleon...", she continued, thinking aloud.

"Well, people did become sad when your father fell ill and the kingdom started suffering frequent attacks...", the young maid of the princess stated with insecurity in her voice at first, but then tried to comfort Elise. "But everything will change after your wedding, my lady. Camelot has always been a friend and now our people will feel more protected", she finished with an encouraging smile. Finally, Elise looked at Luned, resigned, and walked to the table to sit down and have breakfast.

"Yes, everything will be fine", the princess confirmed, hardly believing her own words. Everything would be better for her people and Branor's reign, she was sure; but she could not imagine the day would come when she would not feel like a stranger in the strange land of Camelot.

* * *

><p>Merlin stepped back to look at Arthur, making sure his armour was complete this time. The prince had to admit his servant hadn't failed and had nothing to complain about that would distract his mind from the inevitable events to come.<p>

"Don't worry", Merlin suddenly said, breaking the silence. "You'll probably win this one too".

"It's not the tournament I'm worried about", Arthur replied, silently questioning his young servant's perspicacity as he picked up his sword from the table. Then, he finally looked at Merlin and sighed as he realised the boy was perfectly aware of what was really worrying the prince of Camelot. "What am I going to do?"

"Have you tried talking to your father?", was Merlin's unsure question.

"Have you ever _met_ my father, Merlin?", Arthur asked back, indicating Merlin shouldn't even have to ask such a question. "I have tried talking to him for the past three years, but you know how he is. This is something he will not change his mind about, especially not when Elise is already here..."

"Why don't you tell him she doesn't want to marry you either?", the servant asked, clearly trying to help. The crown prince of Camelot looked at him, shocked, wondering how could there be a girl who did not want to marry him, but then realised this was more serious than his pride.

"My father believes feelings are not important when the future of a kingdom rests upon one's shoulders. He's right, to a certain extent..."

"Then the safety of Camelot and Caerleon depends on your unhappiness", Merlin stated, disappointed by Arthur's surprising resignation.

"I don't expect you to understand", was Arthur Pendragon's final answer. He was starting to feel uncomfortable with the conversation as he left his chambers with his always present servant right behind him.

* * *

><p>It was a bright sunny morning and not a cloud could be seen in the sky as Prince Arthur exited his tent to look around at the competition. At first sight, there were no surprises; not many of those knights seemed to have exceptional skills. What did surprise him was seeing Branor and Elise walking towards him through a corridor of tents to greet the prince. Without his permission, his mind concentrated on the princess of Caerleon, who was wearing a red dress with golden details, the colours of Camelot. Her hair was held in a loose braid which fell over her left shoulder and the only piece of jewellery she wore was a thin and elegant head chain on her head.<p>

"Ah, Arthur", Branor called, forcing the prince to look away from Elise. "We come to wish you luck for the tournament".

"Thank you", were Arthur's sincere words. "I hope you enjoy it", he continued and, although he was speaking to both guests, he found himself looking at Elise, who could only stare back at him. The young heir to the throne of Camelot and his future bride could not help but to see a stranger every time they looked at each other.

"I'm sure we will", Branor replied with a smile before he and his sister gave Arthur a respectful bow before they walked away to take their seats around the duelling pitch.

* * *

><p>As Elise sat down next to her brother, who sat beside King Uther as an honourable guest, she took her time to look at the rest of the people in the audience and it suddenly awoke cherished memories in her mind. Cador had always loved public entertainment and to see his people happy, a love which his daughter had inherited. As a fair monarch, Elise's father had never considered his life or needs more important than those of the man who worked the land to put food on the king's table and the princess was afraid she would never witness such greatness again. Although she trusted Branor to follow their father's footsteps, Elise was destined to spend the rest of her life in Camelot, a kingdom whose king was well known for his obsession for hunting down and executing presumable sorcerers based on sometimes questionable proof. As for the son who would one day succeed him, Elise believed he was more interested in the image in the mirror and on how many times he could prove his bravery than actually taking care of his people.<p>

She sighed, knowing such thoughts would not help her face everything that was yet to come, so she tried to put them aside and make an effort to enjoy the tournament.

* * *

><p>As crown prince of Camelot, Arthur Pendragon had the honour to open the tournament. Even though he had done so many times before, he still felt nervous every time he entered the pitch to bow to the king as his opponent followed him. Then, the prince greeted the other knight before putting his helmet on and drawing his sword. A second later, the duel began.<p>

Like every time he fought, Arthur didn't think about what he should do; he just felt it. The heat of the moment showed him how to move and when to attack, like it always happened, and the prince trusted his instinct with his own life. Of course this was not a fight to the death, but he sure preferred dying than to face the humiliation of being defeated. Dodging away from the knight's sword, Arthur was surprised by how that thought mirrored his worry to make Elise regret the way she had treated him.

With one final move, he was able to throw his opponent to the ground and away from his sword, finally tasting the first victory. Helping the other man up and shaking hands with him, Prince Arthur turned to bow to the king once more and was able to glance at Elise, who applauded like the rest of the audience but showed no sign that she was impressed by his performance. Although he succeeded at hiding it well, the son of Uther was furious as he walked away from the pitch to meet Merlin. His servant was smiling when the prince approached him, but his smile soon faded as Arthur looked at him: this was not a good moment to smile.

Finally entering his tent, Arthur threw his helmet to the ground in frustration. He felt Merlin stare at him but allowed himself a moment to calm down and be rational: he didn't need the approval of a girl he wasn't even interested in... but how could someone be indifferent to his excellence?

"I thought winning was a good thing", Merlin stated with a slight frown, clearly expecting an explanation from Arthur.

"Did you see her face?", the crown prince asked, outraged. "It was like anyone could do what I just did!".

"But you don't even like her. Why does it matter to you?", was the servant's question. Then, as if realising something, Merlin's expression changed and he smiled. "Unless...".

"No, I don't care what she thinks", Arthur interrupted, not waiting to hear the servant's foolish thoughts. "I'm just worried that my father wants me to marry someone who can't even see the obvious".

"Oh, _that_ explains everything", Merlin replied, clearly not believing him, but chose not to say another word after the prince's warning look.

* * *

><p>As the day and the tournament progressed, Prince Arthur Pendragon managed to defeat his opponent in every duel, winning the Tournament of Camelot. Elise had to admit he did know how to handle a sword and maybe more than just that, but that was all. In her eyes, Arthur was still the spoiled and self-centred prince of Camelot she had never met until the previous day and her life had not been enriched by his presence at all.<p>

Despite this and as an unwritten rule demanded, the still princess of Caerleon, being a noble guest and future bride of the prince, congratulated the champion after the king's formal announcement of his victory. Elise spoke only the necessary words, not only because of her opinion of him or the fact that they did not know each other, but also because she was not used to talk to men who were around her age, who were less formal... and who were as handsome as Arthur. In her mind, she found it strange how two apparently opposite thoughts could be created by the same person.

* * *

><p>The rest of the day was spent in the middle of games, music and other popular forms of entertainment as a way to thank all the knights who had come from far away to participate in the tournament. For Arthur Pendragon, his victory had not been a surprise and neither had Elise's studied words. After she had congratulated him, the prince succeeded at avoiding the one who would soon be his wife, although she didn't exactly try to make an effort to communicate with him again. But, throughout the day, Arthur did not ignore her presence, catching a glimpse of Elise every now and then; she was always accompanied by Branor, reminding him of a child who didn't want to be left alone among the other children. Of course, any other person would only see the princess' noble and unattainable posture, but Arthur himself knew well how lonely being part of nobility could be and that loneliness was the only thing he thought he had in common with Princess Elise.<p>

As the sun set, people returned to their homes as the celebrations slowly died. The nobles had spent the last hours of sunlight resting in their chambers and were now ready to attend the special banquet King Uther would offer his guests that evening. Arthur was standing next to his father as he greeted the members of nobility, although he could think of several other places he would rather be instead. After the euphoria of winning the tournament had passed, the prince realised the most dreaded moment he could think of was drawing near, becoming real.

Trying to put these thoughts aside, knowing that standing up to his father was not an option, the crown prince of Camelot looked around the room and he was almost sure all the guests were already there. Unfortunately, nobody was interesting enough to grab his attention and he was not surprised to see Merlin approaching with the usual wine for the guests.

"So... were you looking for someone?", Merlin asked, imitating Arthur as he looked at the guests from one side of the room to the other, and his tone indicated that he already knew the answer.

"Shut up, Merlin", the prince ordered. "Of course not. There is not a single person I wish to see right now", he continued, giving his servant another of his warning looks. He simply did not have the patience for the boy's foolishness tonight.

"Oh, alright", were Merlin's words as he turned his head to look at the entrance of the room. "Then you definitely don't want to see who has just arrived".

Arthur Pendragon raised an eyebrow at this and slowly followed his servant's gaze until his eyes met the figure of Elise of Caerleon. He barely noticed the silence that fell among the nobles and the fact that everyone else was also looking at her as she entered the room. Elise was clearly not comfortable with all the attention and, fortunately for her, there were only a few seconds until people started talking again, looking away from her. But, as she slowly walked across the room, the young prince couldn't help but to keep his eyes on the woman he stubbornly found so uninteresting.

The light brown waves of her hair fell graciously over her shoulders, adorned only by a golden diadem. To contrast with her pale skin, she wore a deep blue dress whose corset embraced her chest and waist effortlessly and the long skirt fell to the floor, its tail following her submissively, just like a princess should be followed.

When Elise finally approached Uther, delicately bowing to the king of Camelot, Arthur caught a glimpse of Merlin and was able to look away from the princess for a moment to see his servant staring at him with triumph in his eyes, like he had just been proven right. Reminding himself of who he was, the prince dismissed his servant with a wave of his hand and walked to the king's table to take his seat beside his father. On his way, he glanced at Elise again and, for a very short fragment of time, he could swear she was also looking at him. When he was able to pay attention a second later, she was already standing beside Branor and ready to sit down. When Arthur finally reached his seat, he noticed how his knights tried to pretend they were not talking about the young woman, casually glancing at her every now and then. Although he was fully convinced he did not want Elise in any way, he felt a little insulted by the knights commenting on the one he was to marry. On the other hand, he knew he could not blame them based on something nobody knew yet, but which would be announced soon.

* * *

><p>The princess sat down at Uther's table next to her brother, still hoping Arthur had not caught her looking at him for that brief moment. It would be embarrassing for her if he thought she was even remotely interested in anything about him, so Elise tried not to show any signs of her worry. The fact was that Arthur was an attractive man if one never got to speak to him, or worse, hear him speak, and she had involuntarily spotted him when she arrived at the banquet, being able to hide it well until she was standing right in front of the king. In that moment, she found it uncontrollable to glance at him and see what she assumed people imagined a prince to look like: a handsome man dressed in his knight attire, complete with a red cape, a crown which indicated he was the sole heir to the throne and a confident posture. Despite the fact that she did not particularly like Arthur Pendragon, she could not deny it was obvious that man had been raised to become king one day. Unfortunately, Elise thought, ruling a kingdom had nothing to do with what the king appeared to be, but with what the king actually <em>was<em>.

* * *

><p>After a long time, when every guest was apparently full and wine was the main entertainment, King Uther stood up holding his cup and this gesture was enough to abruptly stop all the conversation and laughter in the room. Arthur looked around apprehensively, trying to dissimulate the fact that he was searching for a way to see Elise, but she was hidden behind his father and Branor.<p>

"I would like to make a toast to our honourable guests, King Branor and Princess Elise from Caerleon, and thank them for accepting our invitation to come see the Tournament of Camelot", Uther paused as everyone raised their cups to his words. "As you all know, their father, King Cador, was always a good friend and ally of Camelot and now his children wish to honour that friendship", another pause, which Arthur knew was meant to hold the audience's attention completely. "That is why I am proud to announce the engagement between my son, Price Arthur, and Princess Elise from Caerleon", he finished with a victorious smile and his audience exploded in immediate applause, causing more wine to run freely in the room.

Although they were not aware of each other's thoughts, both Arhur and Elise felt what they were sure a prisoner would feel when realising they would be sent to the pyre.


End file.
